Sci Fi TV Power Rankings: Into the Badlands Enters as Likely to Get Renewed in the Fall Finale Rankings, Supergirl is Near Bubble Status

[Updated for the renewal announcements for Wayward Pines and The Leftovers]

As quick as it arrived, the Fall season is already just about over. This set of power rankings will be the Fall finale edition and will give you an idea of where the currently airing shows stand going into mid-season. Not all of the shows have wrapped up their Fall episodes just yet, but we have a good enough sampling that I can gauge where they should all be ranked at this point in the year. The rankings have not changed too much since the last set came out with the exception of a few shows that have been renewed and a couple others that have gone back into the game (thus losing their protected renewed status). Entering the rankings since last time are AMC’s Into the Badlands and CBS’ Supergirl. The former show looked really good with The Walking Dead as its lead-in, but dropped notably when it flew solo with its most recent episode. The latter series started out strong but has seen a steady decline to the point that I was close to putting it into Bubble status. More on both of those (and all the currently airing/returning sci fi / fantasy shows) below.

Biggest Movers: The two shows that moved up the most were the renewed entries Star Wars: Rebels and Z Nation, though the latter series did not move up as much as the former due to its lackluster Season 2 ratings. The two moving down the most were The Librarians and Grimm, both of which started up new seasons since the last set of rankings and lost their protected renewed status. The Librarians currently looks good for a Season 3 renewal, but Grimm is much more iffy. More on that below. Most of the rest of the movement on the list can be attributed to incidental shuffling, though Agent Carter slipped by several slots due to its Doomwatch status (see next section).

Doomwatch: This category tracks shows that are currently in the Renewed Category but that head into their new seasons on thin ice because on their shaky performances in the prior season. Agents of SHIELD, The Leftovers,Sleepy Hollow, and The Last Man on Earth were all on the list before the Fall season began and all are currently struggling with the latter two all but cancelled at this point. There are four shows set to return at mid-season that I also believe to be Doomwatch entries: The 100, Person of Interest, Agent Carter, and 12 Monkeys. I go into more detail in their entries below.

Cancellations: There have been no official cancellations since the last set of rankings, though Minority Report is all but axed based on its season getting cut from thirteen to ten episodes. And I have moved FOX’s “limited run” Summer series Wayward Pines to Ended status and have assumed that Golan the Insatiable is cancelled. More on those at the bottom of the list.

So now on to the rankings.

What the Rankings Measure: The shows on this list are ranked by those least likely to get cancelled to those most likely to get cancelled, and these rankings are all about gauging a show’s likelihood of beating the Network Executioner.

Shows Included: These rankings show all the active and returning sci fi / fantasy shows. Though, this is limited to ones whose renewal / cancellation decisions are more heavily influenced by their ratings in the U.S., so imports like Bitten, Orphan Black, and Doctor Who will not be included here. Also note that Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc. entries will not be included here because the streaming services do not share their viewership numbers, making it hard to rank their shows. The shows that will be on the list will be those airing in the current season or those from prior seasons that will be returning at some point. New shows will typically not make it to the list until they have aired at least two episodes (because I have to have some numbers to gauge them by). Also, shows in their final season like Beauty and the Beast will typically not be included because they are already on their way out (that one is in the post-rankings section, though).

Categories: The list is broken into the following groups (descriptions found below and at this link): Unassailable, Renewed or Sure to Get Renewed, Likely to Get Renewed, Renewal Possible, On the Bubble, and Likely to Get Cancelled (though not all of those categories will be used each time). And then there are also the recently cancelled or ended shows at the bottom of the list.

Renewed Shows: Note that in most cases, renewed shows will be ranked above those that have yet to receive a renewal even if their renewal was iffy and/or they under-performed while airing. Basically, once a show has earned a renewal, then it has won the battle against cancellation (which is what these rankings are all about), at least until the next season starts. At that point its ranking will typically slip down as it joins the non-renewed rabble and re-enters the battle against the Network Executioner. Those shows in the Unassailable category are exempt from this though because they are performing well enough that they are almost guaranteed another season.

Additional Info: The number in parenthesis next to the show’s rank represents its prior position in the Power Rankings. This list will come out once per month, usually during the second half of the month. Note that there are a lot of sci fi / fantasy shows airing these days, so if I missed one or two go easy on me and just let me know in the comments so that I can make the proper adjustments. For more information on the rankings and some of the terms used below, go to this link.

2015 Fall Finale Sci Fi TV Power Rankings:

Unassailable: These are the shows that face no chance of cancellation (short of extenuating circumstances and/or an unprecedented ratings collapse) in their current/upcoming season and likely beyond that as well.

Sure, its numbers are down year over year, but so is almost every show on television. And there has been some grumbling about the writing this season, but we have seen that in past seasons as well. When you are on top, people are quick to find flaws. And I expect The Walking Dead to remain at the top of these rankings for several more years.

It will be interesting to see how the ratings slump impacts this show when it returns next year. I expect to see a drop in its numbers, but nothing major. And word is that they are looking at wrapping up the show around Season 8 (hey Mr. Martin, how about wrapping up the last couple of books as well), so momentum should easily carry it at least that far.

As I explained in the last set of Power Rankings, this show has not been renewed yet but it hasn’t been cast down with the rabble. That’s because strong performing shows in the Unassailable category get that luxury. And this show is definitely speeding along to a third season and almost certainly a fourth as well because of the third season show rule. That of course assumes that a major shakeup across the broadcast networks does not occur by that time due to the oncoming ratings-pocalypse. But I still believe this show is a good bet to stick around for a couple or years and possibly more.

The show’s numbers were down during the first half of its fifth season, but the ratings slump is certainly a large factor in that and Teen Wolf is in the syndication stretch anyway. At the end of this season it will have a decent number of episodes for the syndication market (92 total), and everything beyond that is just gravy. Expect a likely seventh and possibly even eighth season out of this one.

It didn’t match the ratings of its parent show, but it was still the top rated non-sports shows on television during its six episode first season. And I believe that it has at least two more years in it before zombie burnout will start to set in.

This show has never attained the heights of its spin-off series The Flash, but it continues to be a strong performer for The CW and it is currently the second highest rated show on that network. Expect at least another season or so from this one.

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Renewed or Sure to Get Renewed: These shows have received their renewal notice or are almost guaranteed to by the end of their current season.

Its rank remains the same, but it has dropped out of the Unassailable category due to its recent ratings woes. It has already been renewed for a sixth season, but I’m not certain how many more (if any) will follow beyond that. I look at that in more detail at this link.

It performed well enough to get a third season and I was tempted to move it up to the unassailable category. But its ratings dropped in its second year (likely due to the current ratings slump environment) and it is an expensive show to produce. Still, I would put good odds on it cruising into a fourth season.

This show slipped some during the second half of its first season, but it still did well enough for its network especially considering the current slump across the cable channels. If it holds steady next season then it should be okay.

The third season renewal came as expected. It may not generate as many episodes as Star Wars: The Clone Wars did (over 120 for that one) because that’s just not the way animated shows typically roll these days. But it has at least a few more years in it.

This show definitely did not deliver The Walking Dead sized ratings (they air on the same network), but it apparently did well enough to get renewed. AMC is partners with the British Channel 4 on the series and it has performed quite well over there. It is also a relatively inexpensive show to produce, so it could stick around for a few more seasons.

This show was renewed for a second season before it aired a single first season episode and it has performed decent enough for Starz since its debut (with its numbers having trended up). Don’t bet against Ash!

The renewal for this show did not come as a big surprise because Syfy partners with the Canadian Space Channel and I hear that Dark Matter has performed quite well up north. And the current arrangement might be enough to keep this show around for a few more years.

The ratings for this show were not quite as good as Syfy’s other Summer space show Dark Matter, but the network has the same partnership on Killjoys with the Canadian Space Channel. So that should help both shows stick around for a few years at least.

This one didn’t build its audience from its first season like I was thinking Showtime would want. But apparently they still believed in it enough to give it a third season renewal. It may have international financing backing it as well.

Almost every time I publish the Power Rankings an announcement follows that day or the next that causes me to revise them. This time it involved this show as FOX announced (four and a half months after it ended its first season) that Wayward Pineswill be coming back for a second season after I assumed it was limited-run-and-done. The network referred to it as a “huge hit”, but while the ratings were decent for a Summer show, that’s taking it a bit far. Still, fans of this one will be happy to know that it is getting a second season that will resolve the mystery left hanging at the end of its last first year episode.

The third season renewal for this one came as no surprise because the fledgling El Rey network is looking less at the ratings and more and establishing its brand. And this one fits right in with where that cabler is going.

Can this show pull off another surprise renewal or will the ratings slump and the wave of rash network executive decisions that are sure to follow claim it? It beat the odds once, so it’s hard to gauge where it stands at this point.

This show got the third year renewal nod, but its numbers were definitely down from its first season. That can be chalked up in part to the ratings slump hitting the cable channels this past Summer, but it will at least need to hold steady next year if it wants a fourth season.

The renewal for this show was not a sure thing as it slipped into the “ratings noise” level that we are seeing from many of the cable shows these days. But apparently it did well enough with MTV’s target younger demographic and they decided to stick with it for another season.

This was another, low-flying, “ratings noise” show that managed to win the game and get another season. It apparently has international financing backing it, but at some point you would think its network would want more people tuning in on a weekly basis to the live broadcasts.

This one got the third season renewal, but it definitely does not count as a strong contender for Syfy at the moment. It is an inexpensive show produce because it comes from The Asylum, so maybe these ratings are enough to keep it afloat for another year or so.

It got the second season renewal, but it didn’t count as a strong ratings contender this last Summer. It needs to at least hold steady next year else it will join recently cancelled Extant as another CBS Summer two-and-out entry.

Yet another “ratings noise” show that earned a renewal which was a bit surprising considering it regularly lost over half the audience of its lead-in (though arguably it’s not the best pairing with Pretty Little Liars). But apparently ABC Family liked Stitchers enough to keep it around for another season, so we will see how long it can hang in there.

This show did not perform great in its first season and Agents of SHIELD continues to struggle this year (I believe their fates are closely tied together). With ABC eyeing the Marvel shows Most Wanted and Damage Control for next season, where does low rated Agent Carter fit into the mix? Unfortunately, I am thinking it gets squeezed out if it does not return with strong ratings. I go into more details on all the possible scenarios at this link.

This series struggled ratings-wise during its first two seasons and The CW can’t afford another slacker on its schedule this year as only The Flash, Arrow, and Supernatural are pulling their weight at the moment. And The 100 does not get the coveted third season status because of the reduced episode order of its first two years. But since it airs on the fifth place network, there is always a chance it could get a shortened fourth season to wrap up its storylines. It is Call to Action time for fans of this show.

The TV Grim Reaper has this show as Certain to be Cancelled and I would have to concur seeing as it hasn’t even received a slot on the CBS schedule yet. This one could get relegated to a late season and/or Summer run to burn off its final thirteen episodes. But from what I understand, the producers approached those as if they were the show’s last so expect some resolution to its storylines. And that still gives it over a hundred episodes total and the chance to go out on its own terms.

This show barely registered in the ratings during its first season, but Syfy has been struggling in general of late. I believe they gave it the second season to see if it can build its audience just like they did with low rated Helix the prior year. But that one’s numbers dropped and it got the ax which could be the same fate facing 12 Monkeys if its rating do not rise next year.

This is currently The CW’s third highest rated show and a record-busting twelfth season seems like a good bet. That of course will be contingent on the cast and crew deciding that they want to stick around for another year.

The Thursday 9 PM EST timeslot has done the show no favors with the crippling competition from ABC dramas and football on CBS. But this show’s third season show status guarantees it a fourth year, even if that will almost certainly be its last.

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Likely to Get Renewed: These shows have performed well enough so far in their current season that a renewal seems almost assured.

For most of the season, this show has been one of the best rated scripted shows on the broadcast networks on Sunday nights. But it slipped some the last couple of weeks which is concerning. And the three month hiatus it is now on won’t help it much. But if it rebounds or at least holds steady when it returns and if Disney wants to keep cycling its well-known characters through the show’s story arcs, it will stick around.

Its numbers are definitely down from its first year, but chalk that up to the ratings slump. It has been a very consistent performer for TNT in its second season against stiff competition on Sunday nights and looks like it is on target for a third year renewal.

This show opened strong with The Walking Dead as its lead-in, but had the expected drop in its numbers when it flew solo for the first time. If it can hold at its current levels, then it looks like a good bet for renewal. If it drops off further, AMC may have to think long and hard on this one as it is likely and expensive series to produce.

It’s numbers are down from its first season, but it is still one of the better performers for FOX in the disaster that is that networks Fall schedule. Plus, Gotham didn’t suffer in the ratings when it had to go head to head with Supergirl over on CBS in the same hour. If it can hold steady in the second half of the season, then it has a decent chance of a third year renewal. Assuming of course that FOX doesn’t scrap everything but Empire, The Simpsons, and Family Guy and go with a mostly clean slate in Fall of 2016.

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Renewal Possible: These shows may not be top performers, but are currently doing well enough for their networks that renewal looks like a possibility.

This one soared out of the gates but then slipped back down to Earth pretty quickly. And it’s not good to be a middling rated sci fi show on genre-averse CBS. I believe they will give it plenty of leeway (how about a Flash cross-over to boost the ratings?) because it’s a high profile entry, but it’s also expensive to produce so it really needs better numbers (despite the fact that the CBS exec claims the overnight ratings are meaningless). Its performance in the second half of the season will be crucial to its survival.

This show was doing pretty well for its timeslot earlier in the season, but now CBS starts working against it with their usual scheduling hijinks of preemptions and repeats. If it can hold steady during the second half of the season, I believe it has a decent chance. But if the numbers drop then CBS needs to blame themselves for poor scheduling decisions.

The numbers for this show are at all-time lows and it lost its lead actress at the end of last season. I’m guessing that The CW execs have told the producers to start winding this one down and either the current season will be its last or it will get a shortened seventh year as a final send-off.

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On the Bubble: These shows have delivered moderately low numbers which could put their renewal chances in jeopardy.

This show’s numbers have been down this season and it has slipped notably the last few weeks, pulling in lower ratings and total viewers than The Flash over on the fifth place network. Its third season show status suggests that it should get a forth year, but with ABC ramping up other Marvel shows at the moment I’m not so certain about that. It goes on a three month hiatus and if it doesn’t return strong I believe this year might be its last. I go into more detail on that at this link.

This show continues to lose a large chunk of its lead-in audience from The Flash, and the TV Grim Reaper believes that the shortened episode order for the back half of its second season indicates that it is all but cancelled. I’m not willing to go that far yet because it is the fourth best rated show on The CW at the moment. But I can’t say that I am too confident about this one getting a third season at the moment.

The numbers are way down this season and even though it is a Friday entry I’m thinking that it is hurting at the moment. I’m guessing that NBC execs have told the producers to keep a close eye on the endgame and start wrapping up its storylines because its chances of getting a sixth season look . . . (wait for it) . . . grim.

This show made a surge with its last Season 2 episodes and series creator Damon Lindelof definitely has ideas for a third season. The main question is how many subscribers is it driving to HBO because that’s much more important to the premium channels than the ratings numbers. Update: The show has been renewed for a third and final season. It will move to the cancelled/ending section of the Power Rankings next time around.

I’m sure that NBC expected much better numbers from this revival series, though they did put it into a brutal timeslot that has rarely worked out well for sci fi / fantasy shows. But considering that this show is just padding to the Heroes syndication run, it’s possible that NBC might keep open the possibility of a second season as schedule spackle for next year. I believe that it will have to make a surge with the final three episodes of its “limited run” (those air in January), for that to happen.

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Likely to Get Cancelled: These shows have seriously under-performed in their current season and appear surely headed to cancellation.

This show entered the season as a Doomwatch entry and has definitely performed down to those expectations. And after its Fall finale it loses its place on the schedule. This is a Call to Action show, but if fans don’t get active real soon it may only have a burn-off run in its future.

This highly anticipated show never lived up to expectations ratings-wise and looks like it will be limited-run-and-done. I theorize that it will get it tacked on as a bonus season to the American Horror Story syndication package, though, because it comes from the same creative team and FOX owns both of those shows.

Is anything happening with this show? Do we consider it defunct at this point? It’s almost certainly not coming back to Syfy after its first season run that barely registered in the ratings. There’s still a chance that the Canadian Super Channel (Syfy’s partner on the show) could bring it back for a second year. But if we don’t hear anything soon on this one I am going to assume it has been cast down to Hades.

This Doomwatch show has struggled all season and it gets kicked to Fridays starting at mid-season which is almost certainly a burn-off run for its remaining Season 3 episodes. This is a Call to Action show and fans need to get active if they have any hopes of a fourth season.

This show has wrapped up its ten episode run (shortened from the originally planned thirteen) and appears to be all but done. This is a Call to Action show and fans are trying to convince FOX to give it another chance, but time is definitely running out.

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Recently Cancelled, Ended, or in Final Season: Currently or recently airing shows that have already been cancelled or that have ended or that are in or headed into their final season.

Apparently there was a point that this show could sink to that would lead The CW to give up on it. It does at least get a fourth and final season in Summer 2016, though that won’t bring it to the episode count that the domestic syndication market prefers to see. It apparently plays well internationally, though, so maybe not as many episodes are required in that market.

This was the last of Syfy’s “genre lite” shows from the time of its rebranding and they are trying to move away from that previous image. It seemed like they would have given it one more season so that it was more attractive to the syndication market, but apparently they decided not to sink any more money into it with all the other development they currently have in the pipeline.

I’ve heard no word on this Summer animated entry, so I am going to have to assume that it is cancelled. There is the chance that it could return to Animation Domination HD (where its first season of episodes aired) which is now on FXX. But apart from that, I am guessing we have seen the last of Golan.